


there are a hundred people who will listen to you cry

by reversustenebris



Series: MCYT Songfics [2]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eret and Tubbo are brothers, Eret regrets the betrayal very much, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 07:21:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26848099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reversustenebris/pseuds/reversustenebris
Summary: “When was the last time you even left your castle?”Eret pauses. “Uh, unrelated question, what month is it?”“Wh- It’s December, Eret!”Eret counts on the fingers on his free hand. “September.”---Eret hasn't left the castle in a long time. He doesn't think anyone was going to miss him, after all.He was wrong, of course.
Relationships: Eret & Floris | Fundy, Eret & Niki | Nihachu, Eret & Toby Smith | Tubbo
Series: MCYT Songfics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957051
Comments: 19
Kudos: 575





	there are a hundred people who will listen to you cry

**Author's Note:**

> fic request from @HanatheFlower!
> 
> song for this fic is Secret for the Mad by Dodie Clark!

There is a groove in the wooden floors, now, from how many times Eret has paced across them the past few months.

He goes from window to window, peering past the castle walls towards the server hub. Towards the towering walls of L’Manberg. He remembers building those walls, remembers how proud he was of them.

He thinks about that every single time he looks, every time he tears up looking at the grand flag, and yet he does nothing but sit in his windowsill and stare. HBomb has left pillows in the windowsills Eret frequents most in an attempt to help after he realized he couldn’t get Eret to drop the habit of sitting in them.

The snow outside is light, little flurries whirling across the ground where it’s built up ever since winter started a few weeks ago. Eret thinks the last time he left home was around fall, he doesn’t remember trudging through any snow. He’s not entirely sure.

From the highest window of the castle, where he’s currently leaning himself against the glass, he sees a small figure approach the entrance and pause. It’s not HBomb, he always lets himself in, and so he begrudgingly hops down from his perch and makes his way down the stairs.

Standing cautiously in the entryway is Niki, a small, covered basket tucked under one arm and her other hand hovering at her side like she doesn’t know what to do with it. “Eret?” She says.

“Niki?” Eret asks in return. They haven’t seen each other in months. It feels more like years. He gestures towards the entry room. “Come in, it’s cold.” She follows him inside, pushing the basket into his arms like she knew he would hold it without question (he does) and brushing the snow off of her shoulders before leveling him with a look.

“Where the hell have you been?” She says. Eret is looking through the basket, which is full of baked goods, and trying to avoid her eyes. She moves the basket away so he can’t hide behind it.

“I- I didn’t think you all wanted to see me.”

“Well, obviously, you didn’t think.” She groans. “When was the last time you even left your castle?”

Eret pauses. “Uh, unrelated question, what month is it?”

“Wh- It’s December, Eret!”

Eret counts on the fingers on his free hand. “September.”

Niki looks absolutely furious. She takes the basket out of his hands and sets it gently down on the ground just so she can give him an angry shove. “September? God, Eret, we- no, I was worried about you! And you’re just here being some kind of recluse? Fuck!” She looks like she has more to say, but she drops it in favor of suddenly hugging Eret. He freezes, arms hovering in place. “You can hug me back, asshole,” She hisses, but there’s no heat behind it anymore. He does.

Eret forgot how nice hugs were. He expresses this.

“Oh, Eret.” Niki says, not seeming like she’s going to let go anytime soon. “I know you won’t believe me, but we’ve missed you. So much.”

\------

Niki comes by often after that, always bringing a basket piled high with baked goods she forces Eret to try and give feedback on. They sit in the windowsills and watch the world together. She’s given up on trying to get him to leave the castle, for now.

Eret is walking Niki to the door at the end of the day when an explosion goes off in the direction of the community house, shaking the castle walls. The two of them rush outside and down the wooden path, stopping under the arch of the castle’s outer barricade. 

Sitting, dazed and slightly charred, on a now-partially destroyed part of the path is Tubbo. He scrubs at his eyes before giving a weary look in their direction. “Oops.”

“Tubbo!” Niki calls, running forward to help him up. “What did you do?”

“Well, I dropped my sword into the pond, and so I was leaning over to try and grab it before it sunk, and I didn’t hear the creeper behind me until it was too late.” He says matter-of-factly. He looks over Niki’s shoulder and blinks, does a double-take. “Eret?”

“Hey, T-” Eret starts, but he’s not even finished greeting his brother before Tubbo’s gotten up and has practically thrown himself into his arms. He wheezes out a laugh. “Hey, buddy.”

“I’ve missed you so fucking much,” Tubbo says, more serious than he usually is.

“You did?” Eret asks.

Tubbo hugs him even harder, somehow. “Of course I did!” He leans back and it looks like he’s trying to figure something out. “I forgive you, y’know.” He says, finally.

Eret gives him a watery smile. “Why?”

“You just made a mistake!” Tubbo says, “It happens! I mean, we still won the war, so it’s all good!”

“But Tommy still hates me?”

Tubbo snorts. “Tommy says he hates everyone.” He leans forward and whispers conspiratorially. “He misses you, too.” 

“Now you’re definitely fucking with me!” Eret says, pulling away with a laugh.

“I’m not! I’m not.” Tubbo says with a giggle as Niki comes over to join them. 

“It’s like a little family reunion!” She says.

Tubbo gasps like he’s just gotten an idea. “Yeah! Eret, if we’re family, does that mean I’m royalty too?”

Eret thinks it over. “I suppose it does, yeah.”

“Yes!” Tubbo whoops, throwing his arms up. “Tommy is gonna be so pissed!”

The three of them laugh at that before Niki takes a step back towards the castle. “C’mon, it’s cold, and your clothes are all charred Tubbo.” They begin the trudge through the snow back up the path, Niki leading the way.

“I get it, y’know.” Tubbo whispers as they begin walking. “Being the king sounds nice. I probably would have done the same.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Tubbs.”

“I would never.”

\-------

“Make sure you don’t let the sword throw you off your balance,” Eret explains to Tubbo, holding out the wooden practice sword in front of him. Tubbo mirrors the action. “Think of it like an extension of your arm.”

“What a weird, long arm,” Tubbo says, earning a laugh from where Niki is watching them train.

“I- It’s not literal, Tubbo.” Eret says, trying to smother down a laugh of his own.

“I wonder if it could be, though,” Tubbo continues, now completely distracted from practice. “Like some kind of mechanical arm extension?”

“And I think we’re done for today!” Eret says, knowing when to quit, taking the prop sword out of Tubbo’s hand and leaning it against the wall. He walks the two of them over to the table Niki is seated, and they both take a seat, Tubbo pulling out one of the small notebooks he keeps with him and beginning to draw out what looks like schematics.

Niki leans forward, sliding the cookbook she had been reading across the table, “So, for dinner I think we sh-”

“Knock knock!” A familiar voice calls from the entryway to the kitchen, cutting her off. “What’re we doing here?” Fundy asks, making his way over to the table. He nods at Niki and Tubbo. “Hello, you two.” He looks down at Eret.” It’s been a while.”

“Indeed it has.” Eret says, standing up cautiously, unable to read Fundy’s tone. “What do you need, Fundy?”

“I came lookin’ for Tubbo, Wilbur didn’t want him to be late for dinner.” He eyes the cookbook resting on the table. “Seems he already has plans, though.” 

“Well-” Eret starts, subconsciously starting to place himself between Tubbo and Fundy. 

“Wait, hold on,” Fundy says, noticing Eret’s shielding, “I’m not mad at you anymore, Eret.”

“Wh- you’re not?”

“Well, I was. For like a few months.” Fundy says, “But then I realized that what you did was really pretty smart. I commend you for that.”

“Smart, sure, but I regret it.”

“Obviously,” Fundy snorts, pulling out the fourth chair at the table and taking a seat. “These two wouldn’t be here if you didn’t. I trust their judgement.”

“Aww, really?” Niki says, while Tubbo simply asks, “Why?”

“Thanks, Fundy,” Eret says, disbelieving, sitting back down. “Does Tubbo need to go?”

“Nah, Wilbur can chill. Provided I get to eat dinner here with you all, first.”

“Sure!” Niki replies, “As long as you help cook!” She hops up from her chair and practically pulls Fundy out of his and over to the kitchen counters, Eret and Tubbo not too far behind.

The kitchen only gets slightly charred. Just a little bit burnt.

\--------

Eret is curled up on one of the many plushy couches in one of the more secluded rooms of his castle when he hears three pairs of footsteps approach the door.

“Not today, guys,” He calls weakly.

The door opens anyways, and three heads peer at him from around the frame, see him piled under several blankets looking miserable, and suddenly there are three people squished up next to him on the couch. Tubbo is leaning on his right side, Niki on his left, and Fundy sprawled out across their laps, using the blankets below him as a cushion.

“What’s wrong, Eret?” Niki asks softly.

“I don’t deserve any of this,” Eret mumbles, quiet enough that his voice is almost entirely muffled by the fire crackling in the corner of the room.

“What do you mean?” Tubbo says, tucking himself under Eret’s arm when his brother doesn’t take the initiative. Eret lets him, subconsciously pulling him a little closer.

“You know what I mean, I just- I’m not a good person. I’m not a good soldier, I’m not a good friend, I’m not a good brother, I betrayed you all for a meaningless fucking cr-”

“Eret,” Fundy starts from where he’s unweaving the corner of one of Eret’s many blankets, “I mean this in the nicest way possible: Please stop talking.”

“Wh-”

“No, I agree,” Niki says, “You’re wonderful. You’re kind, and try your hardest, and you are capable of change.”

“Yeah,” Tubbo agrees from his right, “I think you’re a good brother, too.” He looks up at Eret with the face he gets when he has an idea. “Want to go visit L’Manberg tomorrow?”

“I- I don’t-” Eret sputters.

“You need to get out of the house,” Fundy groans, “Quit being a neglectful king.” He laughs a little. 

“We’ll walk with you!” Niki tells him, on board with the idea. “It’ll be okay, I mean it.”

“Promise?” Eret asks, voice steadying.

“Promise.” The other three affirm. Eret settles, slightly, trying his hardest not to cry.

They all lay there in comfortable silence for a while, all piled on top of one another under a mountain of blankets, listening to the snaps coming from the fireplace in the corner and the soft sounds of the other three breathing.

“My legs are asleep,” Eret says, eventually, making a weak attempt to stand.

“Eret!” Niki stage-whispers, pointing at his other side where Tubbo is leaning up against him, fast asleep. “You can’t get up!”

“Yeah, Eret, that’d be, like, an actual crime,” Fundy whispers with mock-seriousness.

Eret groans but leans back into the couch. “Guess I’ll die.”

“Guess you’ll die” Niki echoes solemnly before yawning.

“Sounds like you’ll be here for a while, man.” Fundy says, making no effort to get up.

Eret yawns too. “Guess so,” he mumbles, feeling himself start to drift off.

The next morning, when he wakes up, they’re all still there, piled up and cozy. He’s glad he’s the first one awake. He doesn’t want them to see how quickly his tears of joy begin to fall.

**Author's Note:**

> thank u sm for reading :O
> 
> once again, if anyone has any song reqs/concepts, let me know!


End file.
